Duplicating machine



Feb. 13, 1940. J, NALBACH I DUPLICATING MACHINE Filed Dec. 24, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet l ZZYVEZT UP /0]Z72 R Nalbach.

Feb. 13, 1940. v.1. R. NALBACH DUPLICATING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 24, 1937 217F517 UP John BJVaZZme/z Feb. 13, 1940. J. R. NALBACH DUPLICATING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 24, 1937 Jofzjz BJVaZbaC/Z. My; 1671/ Feb. 13, 1940.

J. R. NALBACH I DI'JPLICATING MACHINE Filed Dec. 24, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 277517]??? John 2 JVaZbacfi.

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' Patented Feb. 13, i940 2,189,921 :DUPLICATING momma J han. Nalbach, Oak Park, n1. ApplicationjDeceinber24, 1937,:Srial No.181 ,481-' mis -s. 01. 101 13331 M This invention relates to improvements in duplicating machines.

One object of the invention is toprovidea duplicating machine of. the flat bedtype which is 5 of economical construction and is provided with a manually operable carriage arranged to lay copy sheets upon a hectograph surface during movement of the carriage in one direction, and

which strips the paper from the surface upon the return movement of the carriage.

Another object of the invention is to provide guide means for the carriage which is so mounted as to enable a platen roller carried by the carriage to be rolled overthe copy sheets-to press the same into uniform contact with a hectographic, surface Whether said surface lies precisely in a particular plane or whether different hectograph members such as gelatin films,qpads, pan-con? tained, or other suitably supported hectographic masses or ink pads have their duplicating or transferring surfaces disposed in a given plane.

In preparing hectographic masses of gelatin composition for duplicating machines, it is not always possible to procure uniformity in thick-j ness, and hence where a guided platen roller of a flat bed type machine is employed for pressing copy sheets against the hectographicsurface, pro visions generally are made to compensate for" variations of thickness of the hectographic mates rialeither by so mounting the platen roller in the carriage as toafford relative vertical lin'o've ment ofthe roller with respect to theguided carriage, or by enabling the bed to be jadjusted with respect to the roller.

3 With the present improvements, the pressure of the copy sheets into proper contact with the hectographic surface is, provided for by mounting the guide members forthe carriage for" free pivotal movement as. may be determined by'the" rolling action of the platen along the surfaceof the hectographic material. It willthereforejbe seen that with the present machine, variations in thickness of the hectographicmaterial does not preclude the making of uniformly clear copies.

The present construction is of advantageralso L in that the entire carriage can be moved out'of the way when a new hectographic member to be installed in the machine.

Another object of the invention i'sto, providea .supporting frame or bed for the hectographic mamembers can readily be placed in position or removed for replacement by another member.

Another object of the invention is toprovide a terial supporting members by means of which such duplicating machine of the flat bed typefadapted;

to accommodate conventional duplicating pads of the form' employedpfor" example, in rotary duplicating machines; means being provided for tensioning the pads upon the bed. Other advantages of the present invention re; 8' late to various features of construction and ar-j rangement of parts which will be apparent from a consideration of the following specification and accompanying drawings, wherein: l Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a flat bed duplicat- 10 ing machine embodying the I present improve-- ments;"" Fig. 2 is a side elevation'of the machine shown; inFig. 1; Q f m: Fig. 3 is an' 'end'elevationthereof; i u 18 Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 ofFigJl;

Fig.5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 ofFig.1; 4 Y i M Fig. 6 is'a longitudinal sectional view taken on 20*. line 6-6 of Fig. landshowing in dotted lines the carriage and a carriage guide swung toa posi tion above the bed of the'machine; T

Fig. '7 is a broken sectional elevation similar to 1 that shown in Fig. 6 illustrating the carriage 25 moved forwardly from the position shownin Fig. 6; Y. A

Fig. 8 is a longitudinalsectional-view taken on line 8 8 of Fig. 9, illustrating a modified form of duplicator adapted for using a gelatin pad as 30'" distinguished from a pan-contained hectographic mass; i i

Fig. 9 is a transverse sectiontaken on 1ine 9- -9 ofFi .'8; and M Fig. 10 is an enlarged broken detail viewillu's- 35 trating the band tensioning mechanism shown In Figs. 1 to '7 of the dra'wing's, Ill indicates generally the base'or bed of the machine which is frame' likein shape. The bed shown in'the m' drawings comprises a pair of angular-shaped longitudinal members I I, the vertical sides lZ'of which 'define the longitudinal side walls of the machine, and the horizontal portions [3 of which as will be described hereinafte'ru" Adjacent the forward ends of the side'members ll the-same are connected together by an angular-shaped transverse member l4 and the provide a support for the hectographic members, 45"

rear ends of the side membersll are connected f material I9 is carried in the pan. The pan is of a size to fit within the frame-like opening of the base and is supported at its longitudinal edges by ledges l1. I

Pivotally secured to the forward end of the base is a carriage guide comprising-a pair of parallel rods 20which, at the rear ends, are connected by a transverse member 2| and at the forward ends are secured to a transverse rod or pivoting member 22 which-has ends disposed in recesses provided in the side flanges II of the base, as shown clearly in Fig. 1. example, the pivotal axis of the carriage guide is disposed above the plane of the surface of the hectograph material 1-9, the level of which may vary somewhat, depending upon the amount of the molten material poured into the pan 18. The

guide thus is movable about its pivot toward or away from the hectographic material, and as a matter of fact, may be swung forwardly about its pivot beyond 90 if desired, so as to be out of the way when a hectographic supporting member, such as a pan I8, is to be removed or-replaced within the machine.

Slidably positioned on the rods 20 is the carriage comprising platen journals 23 within which is journaled a rotatable platen roller 24. Secured to the member 2-3 also is a transverse sheet metal member 25 which serves as a ban-- die in operating the carriage longitudinally of the machine. Forwardly of the roller 24 a plate 26 is-attached to the journal members 23, which member constitutes a combined sheet guide and stripping member. sheet metal secured at its ends to the members 23 by means of screws 21, or the like, and, as

will be seen in Figs. 6 and 7, is inclined rearwardly, having its lower end disposed a short distance abovethe surface of the hecto'graphic mass 19.

.In using the machine, the master sheet bear ing the copyable material to be duplicated is slid rearwardly along the upper surface/of the member 26 until it contacts the rear vertical end wall I81) of the pan l8 which, as shown,

projects a slight distance above the level pf the hectographic mass 19. The projecting end wall |8b thus forms a-stop 'or, in effect, 'a margin bar for the master as well-as for the subsequent copy sheets. At the time the master is inserted, the carriage is retracted to its rearmost position, so that the platen roller 24 rests upon the flange lBa of the end wall [8b at the rear of the machine as shown in Fig. -6. With the sheet 28 in the position shown in said figure as above described, the carriage is pressed forwardly manually by means of the handle 25. The platen roller 24 presses the sheet 28 into contact with the surface of the hectographic material and as I the carriage is advanced, rolls the sheet into smooth contact with such material. 'The operator can press the carriage forwardly with "one hand and retain hold of the other endof the As will be noted in Fig. 5, for.

The member 26 may be of surface rather than a pan-contained sheet with the other hand if he desires, such end preferably being the top end of the sheet thegelatin mass. "After the copy has thus been transferred to the duplicating mass, the copy sheets may be run through the machine to make the required number of copies. The copy sheets are inserted one ata time in the machine as shown in Fig.

6, the carriage then pressed forward from the supporting and elevating flange lBa as above described and as illustrated in Fig. 7, the operator retaining hold of the upper end of the sheet until the sheet has been rolled over the matter to be duplicated. The carriage is then pulled rearwardly to the position shown in 6, during which rearward movement, the plate 26 strips the copy sheet from the duplicating surface.

It will be noted that the pivotal mounting of the guide including the guide rods 28 enables the carriage to move freely to or from the plane of the duplicating surface. If such surfaces vary in elevation as. between difierent duplicating masses, uniform .prints will still be made due to the fact that the roller can descend to press the sheets into proper contact therewith. Thus no provision need be made in this machine for adjusting. the hectographic support into a predetermined plane, as, is the case with the machines where the guides are fixed; nor need suction-cup construction to prevent the machine from sliding during use.

The. .pa-n" l8 preferably is provided with a sheet metalcover 31 which during use of the machine may be placed under the pan (see Figs. 5' and ffi) or it may be placed in the inclined positionshown by dotted lines in Fig. 6 wherein it is supported by the transverse pivot rod "22 and the end I4 of the bed and constitutes a support for a supply of copy sheets which are conveniently accessible during use of the machine.

The. form of the device shown in Figs. 8 to 10, inclusive, is, generally similar to that above described except that it is modified for utilizing duplicating bands or pads as the hectograph gelatin mass. The machine comprises side frame members 32 which may be integral with a bottom 32a which supports a pad 33 comprising a fabric backing 34 and a hectographic coating 35. These pads may be of the type generally used in rotary duplicators, for example, and are provided with suitable clips 36 at the ends thereof for attachment to means which hold the pads in position. The clips 36 illustrated are of sheet metal and engage the ends of the backing strips 34, thec'lips having a plurality of openings 31 therein for receiving suitable attaching means. .The clips illustrated herein are of the 2,189,931: form shown more in detail in the Whitehead Patent No. 2,094,628 granted October 5,1931

To the rear end of the bottom 32 ofthe machine is attached a combined platen rest. and margin bar 38 which is formed of sheetmetal and is provided with horizontal flanges or fingers 38a on which the platen 24 of the machinetrests y when the machine is not in use ,or duringlintervals whenpaper is being fed into the machine, as shown in Fig. 8. The fingers 38a are adapted to pass through apertures 3'! for anchoring one end of the pad on the bed. .Theopposite end of the pad is provided with a'similar clip through: openings 31 in which extend fingers 39 Jofa tensioning device indicated generally byr-fithe numeral40. The device 40 comprises a trans-6 verse member 4| with which the fingers 39. are

. integral and a transverse adjustable member 42,. the ends of which are slidable in suitable guides: 43 attached to the bottom of the machine'adja cent the lateral edges thereof as shown in Fig.

9. The members 4| and 42 are welded or otherwise rigidly attached together or made integral,

as desired.

The member 42 has a central downwardljrdi rected flange or lug 44 through an openingsin which extends a tensioning screw 45 carrying a nut 46 mounted in a. retainer clip41 whichzis attached to the base 32.

tion or the other will move the member 4| and finger 39 in one direction or the other longitudinally of the machine for applying tension to the same tautly upon the tion and retain ink from an applied master and; transfer itto copy sheetsJas is well known. In

referring to such masses, however, as hectograph members, such term is used generically and is not to be construed as limited to gelatin-glue composition material since the master may comprise a stencil sheet imposed upon an ink-pad supported by the bed of the machine for printing upon copy sheets impressed thereon by the mechanism described. l

While I have shown and described certain embodiments of the improvements for the purpose of illustration, I do not wish to be restricted specifically thereto except as so limited by the appended claims.

I claim;

1. A fiat bed duplicator comprising a supporting base. a hectographic' member supported thereby, a pair of parallel platen guiderods disposed longitudinally of said base and pivotally attached at the forward ends thereof to said base and being freely movable about said pivot during duplicating operations to enable a platen roller to exert uniform pressure on the duplicating member during such operations, a pair of platen journals slidably carried by said guide members, and a platen roller carried by said The screw 45 iSrpI'O-n ,vided with a collar 48 disposed at the rear of the flange 44. Turning thescrew in one direcwith the surfacexof said, hectographic 'memberw 2. A duplicator comprisinga supporting "base; a hectographic member supported by said base; a'pairof platen roller guide members' extending longitudinally ofsaid base and being p-ivotally 6; attached thereto at the forward end therofand being freely swingable about the pivotal axis' during duplicating operations to enable' a platem roller to exert uniform pressure bn the duplicat ing member during such operations; a pair of 10'. platen journals slidablymounted' on saidguide members-a platen roller. carriedby said-journal's and adapted for'rollingcopysheets into contact; I with said hectographie-member, and a combined sheet guiding and stripping member carried-fby 15;. said journals forwardly of said roller-J r "3. A duplicating machine comprising a sup-" porting base, a hectograph member th'ereom a carriage comprising a platen roller arranged for rolling copy sheets into1contact with said meni l l0;

end thereof and being freely swingable-"about" said-pivotal axis for enabling said" carriage to be moved as'a unit toward and awayffr'on'i said hectographmember. if

4. A- duplicating machine c'ompr'isin'g su ao: porting base providing a support for a hectographic member, a hectographic member thereon, a carriage guide comprisinga pair of connected parallel rods disposed laterally of said hectographic member and pivotally secured on a transverse axis at one end to said base adjacent one end of the latter and arranged for free movement about the pivotal axis thereof during duplicating operations, and a carriage slidably mountedon said rods and comprising a platen roller arranged for rolling contact with said hectographic member and movable with said guide toward or away from said hectograph member..

5. A duplicating machine of the flat bed type comprising a base of rectangular frame-like form defining a recess for receiving a hectograph supporting member, a hectograph supporting member in said recess, a carriage movable longitudinally of said member and comprising a platen roller for pressing copy sheets against the 50 hectographic surface of said member, a guide member comprising a pair of rods disposed lat-. erally of said hectograph member for guiding said carriage during thelon-gitudinal movements of said platen, saidguide'member being pivotally attached to said base adjacent the forward end thereof for swinging movement toward and away from said hectographic surface whereby said roller can be moved freely intojposition for press ing copy sheets into contactwith said surfaceeo during longitudinal movement of the carriage, a combined sheet guide andstripper carried by said carriage, and means adjacent the rear of said supporting member and. projecting above the same and constituting a margin bar for the copy sheets and an elevated rest for said roller during the insertion of copy sheets into the mal chine. g

6. A flat bed duplicator comprising a base for supporting a duplicating member, a pair of parallel platen guide rods disposed longitudinally of said base and pivotally attached at the foroperations; apair ut platen-Journals sslidablys copy sheets into contact with the surface *of said duplicating member.

'7. .A -duplicator comprising a bed, clip engaging members at opposite ends thereof for :en-

the clips of a duplicating band adapted to be attached upon said bed, one of said members comprising clip engaging tfingers :constituting a platen rest and a margin bar, said other member being adjustable longitudinally of said bed, means for adjusting :said last mentionedmember for tensioning a -dup1icating band upon said bed, and means for laying sheets on and stripping the same from said band comp-risin vguide rods pivotal-1y attached to said bed, and a. carriage-movable longitudinally of said rods over said band comprising a platen roller and a cooperating sheet strippingplate.

8. K duplicating machine comprising a sup- 1108158 providing a support for a duplicating' member, .a duplicating member thereon, a platen roller movable over said member and provided with guide means pivotally mounted on said base on a transverse axis enabling thevrol'ler tobe moved toward and irom said member, and, a platen roller rest at one end of said support tor supporting the roller out of contact with the duplicating member and constituting a margin bar for copy sheets inserted in the machine,

9. A duplicating machineco-mprising a base for supporting a duplicating member, a pivotal guide structure attached to said base and comprising a platen roller slidable longitudinally thereof overa duplicating member on said base for pressing copy sheets thereon and movable with said structure into and from operative position with respect to said member, and a roller rest disposed at an elevation above the surface of the duplicating member at the end thereof remote from the pivotal axis of said structure for supporting the roller out of contact with said duplicatingv member and-constituting a margin bar for copy sheets inserted in the member.

10. A duplicator comprising a bed for supporting a duplicating member, a platen roller ar-' ranged to. press a copy sheet into contact with said duplicating member, journals for said roller, a guide structure on which said journals are slidably mounted and rectilinearly guided during 7 duplicating operations, and pivot means adjacent one end of said bed for supporting said structure for free movement on a transverse axis during duplicating operations whereby said roller'is. free to press-a copy sheet into uniform contact-with the surface of said duplicating member. v

. JOHN R. NALBACH.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION. Patent No. 2,1 9,921. February 15, 191p. JOHN R. NALBAOH.

It is herebyeertified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 2, first column, line 1, for the word "Second" read Secured-; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record. of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this lhth day of May, A. D. 19h0.

Henry Van Arsdale,

(Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

